Bob Kahrs: Pullorum disease in poultry

Farm Animal Health

Response: Pullorum is a sometimes fatal bacterial infection of young chickens and turkeys caused by salmonella pullorum. It produces visible sickness only in avian species but occasionally infects other domestic and wild animals without producing disease.

Some pullorum-infected poultry refuse feed, have diarrhea, exhibit weakness and spread the disease. Others succumb without appearing sick. When autopsied nodules and plaques are found in the intestinal tract.

Some healthy appearing survivors become lifelong carries that transmit pullorum to offspring via their eggs.

Most U.S. hatcheries have eliminated pullorum by testing and removing infected birds under the National Poultry Improvement Plan in cooperation with state and federal departments of agriculture.

The test requires a drop of blood from the wing of every bird in a hatchery to be deposited on a glass plate and mixed with test material. If the hen is infected with pullorum the mixture visibly clumps. Positive hens are sent to a laboratory where the result is confirmed by postmortem exams.

This test and slaughter procedure has virtually eliminated pullorum from the USA.